BitAsn region of South America, extending from the equator to the 33d degree of south latitude, and from the 35th to about the 56th degree of west longi tude from London. It is bounded on the north by the liver of the Amazons, which separates it from Portu guese Guiana ; on the south by the Spanish settlement of Buenos Ayres, which prevents it from absolutely reaching the Rio de la Plata ; on the cast by the Atlan tic Ocean ; and on the west by the Spanish back settle ments of Peru and Paraguay, from which it is separated by a rude and ill-adjusted boundary. So far as can be calculated from its imperfectly defined limits, it is 2300 miles in length and 1500 in breadth. This vast region is endowed by nature with the most exuberant fertility, and capable of every production by which the finest climates of the world are adorned and enriched. Its forests produce every variety of timber which can be employed either for ornament or use ; and the bowels of the earth contain treasures more glittering, though less truly valuable. Gold and diamonds, the first of the metals and of the precious stones, are produced more abundantly in Brasil than in any other region of the world. Notwithstanding these vast capacities, however, Brasil, when first visited by Europeans, was almost a desert. Its vast plains were covered with impenetrable woods ; and its subterraneous treasures were known only by the grains of gold dust occasionally washed down by the rivers. Over its wide extent wandered a multitude of scattered tribes, without agriculture, without arts, with out government, and exhibiting human society in almost the rudest of possible forms. As it has always, how ever, been considered by philosophers an interesting object to trace the progress of man even in its earliest stages, the condition and character of these nations have attracted general attention, and may deserve to be ex hibited at some length.
The physical constitution of the native Brasilians is generally represented as excellent. Open air, continual exercise without exhausting fatigue, and a simple diet, preserve them from most of the diseases to which Eu ropeans arc incident. Notwithstanding continual expo sure to the sun, the colour of their skin was not darker than that of the southern nations of Europe. It was very rarely that persons arc to be seen among them with any bodily defect ; but this circumstance, which is connnon to most savage tribes, may perhaps be ac counted for in a way little flattering to their condition. The hardships and rapid migrations to which they are liable might be such as persons originally infirm could not survive ; hence those only, whose constitution was originally sound and entire, were enabled to arrive at the age of manhood. In one respect, they were the rudest of all the American tribes. They went without any clothing whatever, even on those parts of the body which modesty most required should be concealed. They removed also all the hairs from their body, even those of the eye-brow and eye-lids, though the women retained that which grows on the head. To these habits
they were so much attached, that all the efforts of Eu ropeans to persuade them to make use of clothes proved uniformly fruitless. Even those who had been taken prisoners and employed in labour, though compelled by severe whipping to put on sonic articles of European dress, never failed, as soon as they were set at liberty for the evening, to throw them off as shackles, and enjoy themselves for some time in their original freedom. Although, however, they rejected all covering, they were not the less attentive to the embellishment of their persons. They painted their bodies with various colours, and covered them with grotesque ornaments of bone, shells, and feathers. The men painted their whole body except the face black, either for the purpose of conceal ment, or for rendering their appearance terrible to their enemies. Upon this ground, however, they drew layers of various ornamental colours. Among their favourite ornaments were necklaces and bracelets, made of bone or polished wood, which hung down upon their shoul ders, and even their breast. War, or feasting, were the two great occasions on which they arrayed themselves in all this splendour.
This love of dress, as is usual among nations com pletely savage, was chiefly conspicuous in the male sex. 'file women, who were treated as inferior beings, and on whom most of the labour was devolved, had little opportunity or temptation to spend their time in adol ring themselves. They used, however, the same species of ornaments as the men, with the exception of plumes, which are peculiar to the latter ; and they sheaved a pe culiar avidity for every thing out of which necklaces could be made.
Their agriculture, though entirely rude, was how ever, from the excellent fertility of the soil, sufficient to maintain them in abundance. The day's work of one man is said often to have produced as much as would supply him with food during the whole year. The manioc, and other roots resembling it, were the sub stances chiefly cultivated. These, after being dried and reduced to powder, were boiled into a thick sub stance, which, after being cooled and preserved, bore a great resemblance to bread. When setting out on a war or hunting excursion, they boiled it till it became hard, and could thus be kept for a considerable time. All these offices fell to the lot of the females ; and they too had the care of preparing that fermented liquor, in which these people were accustomed to indulge with the utmost avidity. The preparation was made in a manner sufficiently disgusting. After the roots had been softened by fire, the women seated themselves round the pot, put the different pieces successively in their mouth, chewed, and then spit them into another vessel. This delicious pulp was afterwards boiled a second time, and being poured into earthen ,vessels, speedily fermented, and produced that liquor which formed the principal delight of savage banquets.